JUBA – United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has died, state news agency WAM reported on Friday.
He was 73 and left behind a £120 billion fortune.
The long-time Abu Dhabi leader and richest emirate in the UAE died on Friday, according to state news agency WAM.
A statement from the Ministry of Presidential Affairs said it “condoles the people of the UAE, the Arab and Islamic nation and the world over the demise of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE”.
The country will now enter 40 days of mourning.
Sheikh Khalifa had served at the president of UAE since 2004 after the death of his father.
Born in 1948, he was the second president of the UAE and the 16th leader of Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi royal family – headed by Sheikh Khalifa – is said to be worth a staggering £120billion.
The Sheikh also chaired the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority which controls assets worth more than £571billion.